Oi, pessoal! Hey, guys!

Are you ready for Carnaval? Brazil’s longest-awaited party is only on February 28th, but the celebrations aqui (here) are already at full steam. The marchinhas (typical carnaval music that satirizes military marches), samba and frevo are some of the rhythms that get the party going, showing the diversity of the country and the specific characteristics of its regions. Another rhythm whose presence is powerful during carnaval is axé, which makes the whole country dance.

Key-words: carnaval, music, dance, party, celebration, genre, concert

Axé is a musical genre that first emerged in the cidade (city) of Salvador, Bahia, in the 1980s. Some of its stylistic references are Frevo, Reggae, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, Forró and Maracatu.

Remember that, in our previous post about Yemanjá day, we talked about the importance of religions of African origin in Brazil? The name “axé” is another proof of this relationship, because the palavra (word) is a religious greeting used by the faithful of Candomblé that means “positive energy.”

And how can we not talk about positive energy when it comes to the genre that gives rhythm to the largest popular celebration in the country?

It was axé that introduced to Brazil some musicians that today are among the most famous in the nation, like Luiz Caldas, Carlinhos Brown, Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo, Margareth Menezes and Bell Marques. Their concerts are always packed with thousands of fans, whether on stage or in the ruas (streets), behind an electric trio.

Now that we’ve had some background on the genre, how about we get to fun part? Let’s get to know one of the hymns of Brazilian axé? Eva is a 1982 song that made a huge success with the band Radio Taxi, but was adapted to the axé in 1997 by the band Eva. Take a close look at the lyrics and sing along with our goddess Ivete:

Eva (Eve)

Meu amor, olha só, hoje o sol não apareceu

My love, look, today the sun didn’t show up

É o fim da aventura humana na Terra

It’s the end of the human adventure on Earth

Meu planeta, adeus

My planet, goodbye

Fugiremos nós dois na arca de Noé

We will flee in Noah’s ark

Olha bem, meu amor, é o final da odisseia terrestre

Look, my love, it’s the end of the terrestrial odyssey

 

Sou Adão e você será

I am Adam and you will be

Minha pequena Eva (Eva)

My little Eve (Eve)

O nosso amor na última astronave (Eva)

Our love in the last spacecraft (Eve)

Além do infinito eu vou voar

Beyond infinity I will fly

Sozinho com você

Alone with you

 

E voando bem alto (Eva)

And flying high (Eve)

Me abraça pelo espaço de um instante (Eva)

Hold me for a moment (Eva)

Me cobre com teu corpo e me dá

Cover me with your body and give me

A força pra viver

The strength to live

 

Meu amor, olha só, hoje o sol não apareceu

My love, look, today the sun didn’t show up

É o fim da aventura humana na Terra

It’s the end of the human adventure on Earth

Meu planeta, adeus

My planet, goodbye

Fugiremos nós dois na arca de Noé

We will flee in Noah’s ark

Olha bem, meu amor, é o final da odisseia terrestre

Look, my love, it’s the end of the terrestrial odyssey

 

E pelo espaço de um instante

And for the space of an instant

Afinal, não há nada mais que o céu azul

After all, there’s nothing but the blue sky

Pra gente voar

For us to fly

Sobre o Rio, Beirute ou Madagascar

About Rio, Beirut or Madagascar

Toda a Terra reduzida a nada, nada mais

The whole earth reduced to nothing, nothing more

E minha vida é um flash (flash)

And my life is a flash (flash)

De controles, botões anti-atômicos

From controls, anti-atomic buttons

 

Did you enjoy it? Have a great carnaval!